If You Need Anything
by CasiNight
Summary: When a man with a violent grudge holds Danny, Rachel and Grace captive, it's up to Steve to save his best friend and his best friends family, before the grudge turns deadly. NOT SLASH! Just a really close friendship. Danny whump. Worried Steve.
1. Chapter 1

**Sorry for taking so long to put up a new story, but life has been mega busy. I'll try to update quickly for each new chapter and I really hope that you guys like it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-O or any of its characters, I'm am simply borrowing them to write stories.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

There is something about the bond between partners, some kind of unspoken rule that says that they will always be there for the other. That they will be there for one another whenever they call. That's why when Danny got the call, the second one that he had received that stopped his breathing and wrapped an icy blanket of fear around his heart, Steve was by his side in an instant.

"Danny? Danny, what's wrong?" Steve asked, grasping Danny's shoulder as he looked straight ahead, his eyes unseeing as his thoughts went a million miles an hour.

_"Daniel, it's Rachel. There was a break in at the house today. Grace and I are fine and the police just left, but I would really like it if you came over here. Grace is still pretty upset. Thanks, Danny." _

Rachel's voice was worried and nervous, but he detected a hint of something else in there, something that he couldn't quiet put his finger on.

"Steve, I gotta go." Danny said, heading towards the doors, Steve still following in his wake.

Steve grabbed his arm again and spun him around, forcing him to look Steve in the eye. "Danno. What's wrong?"

Danny glanced around for a moment before finally looking at his friend, seeing the sincere worry in Steve's eyes. "Someone broke into their house. The police already left but I Grace is still pretty worked up. God, Steve. They were in the house and someone got past the security and broke in! They could've hurt Grace, Steven."

Steve let go of Danny's arm, his face mirroring the face that Danny's held. "Go, Danny. Make sure they're all right. If you need anything, Danny, call me."

Danny nodded and quickly walked to the door, leaving his friends watching him as he went to help a little girl that had worked her way into all of their hearts.

It didn't take Danny long to get to Rachel and Stan's house. The gate was open and if Danny wasn't so worried about his little girl, it might have sent alarm bells ringing through his mind. But as it was, no bells were ringing.

Pulling up in front of the house, he leaped out of his car and ran to the door, not bothering to knock and just grabbing the handle. He shoved the door open and ran inside. The sight that greeted him wasn't the sight that he was expecting.

Rachel had Grace clutched in her arms, bent over her and trying to protect her from whatever could be the danger. "Rachel?"

A loud bang came from behind him and he spun around, seeing a man standing beside the door, one hand on the door from closing it and a gun in the other.

A rage bubbled up inside Danny as he saw this man holding the mother of his child and his child at gunpoint. He straightened his shoulders and turned, going from Danno to Detective Williams, the man who had thrown countless people into prison and even killed a few, in an instant. "Who are you?"

The man smiled as he locked the door and moved away from it, never once taking his eyes off the cop. "No. I don't suppose that you would remember me. My name is Mitch, Detective, and you destroyed my life."

"How did I destroy your life?" Danny hoped that the psycho wouldn't notice that he was slowly moving to stand in front of Grace and Rachel.

Unfortunately, Mitch did notice. "Don't you dare! Get on your knees! NOW!" Danny hesitated just a fraction too long and Mitch pointed the gun towards Rachel and Grace, eliciting a small squeak from the little girl.

"Ok! Ok! Just . . . calm down." Danny said, slowly kneeling on the floor.

"Now put your hands behind your head." Danny obeyed instantly this time, knowing that he probably wouldn't get a second chance.

Mitch came forward and grabbed Danny's gun, tucking that in his belt, and his cuffs, securing one of those a little too tightly around one of Danny's wrists. He yanked on the collar of Danny's shirt and pulled him up, taking him to one of the pillars in the house, a few feet away from the door, but in between it and the living room, and pulled his arms behind his back, securing the other cuff too tightly around his other wrist and behind his back.

Danny grimace as his arms were forcefully yanked behind his back and the cuffs pinched his skin. "You didn't answer my question. How did I destroy your life?"

A blow was delivered to the side of Danny's face, resulting in blood to trickle down from the corner of his mouth, where a split lip had appeared. "It wasn't just you, I suppose," Mitch said, coming out from around the Detective. "It was also that stupid partner of yours. He had a hand in it, too."

Danny began going through his mind, searching for a case that both he and Steve had worked on where there was someone named Mitch. He didn't have a last name so that didn't help to narrow his search. But he had a much more pressing problem ahead of him besides finding out just who this son of a bitch was, and that was getting his daughter out of danger. "Ok, so you have what you want, and that's me. Now let my family go."

Mitch shoved the gun up into Danny's face, pressing the barrel against his cheek. "You're in the wrong situation to be making demands, pig."

Danny looked nervously at the gun and then over at his family. He was about to come back with some snappy remark when he was interrupted by a ringing in his pocket.

Mitch looked at him and then drew his gun away from Danny's face, instead reaching down into his pocket, drawing out the intruding device. The name on the screen said 'Steve' and Mitch looked at the captive he held. "Is this the stupid partner?"

Danny nodded, and thought of a ploy. "Yes and the stupid partner will become very curious and intrusive if I don't answer it."

Mitch looked down at the phone and pressed "Talk", holding the phone up against Danny's ear so that he could speak. "Hi, Steve." Danny said, hoping that even the greeting he put forth would alert his partner to something.

Steve was a little surprised by the greeting, seeing how upset Danny had been when he left. "Hey, Danny. Is everything ok?"

"Sure, sure everything's fine. Hey, Steve?" Danny said, looking at the ground.

That's when Steve knew something was wrong. "Yeah, Danny . . . Everything isn't alright, is it."

Danny glanced at his captor. "You know how you said if there was anything I ever needed?"

That's when Mitch pulled the phone away and threw it to the side, not noticing that it didn't break and he didn't press end. Thankfully, Steve held his tongue when he heard the thud and was able to still hear the things that happened on the other end.

There was another thud followed by a groan and a whimper, probably from Grace Steve figured, as Mitch's voice growled. "Do you want me to kill you, because I will. You are the reason that my brother, Jason, is dead, and later, if not sooner, you're going to join him."

Chin looked at Steve as a look of worry crossed his features. "Steve. What's happening?"

Steve pulled the phone away from his ear and looked down at it before looking at Chin and Kono. "I think Danny's being held hostage."

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**So, how did you like it? Please review to tell me if you did! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, so here is chapter 2. I'm sorry that I didnt update yesterday, but I was really busy. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-O or any of the characters, because if I did, there would be a lot more Danny whump :)**

**ENJOY!**

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Mitch looked at Danny, murder in his eyes. "You shouldn't have tried that."

Danny shook his head, clearing the black spots that had appeared in his vision when the butt of a gun had connected with the side of his head. A stream of blood down the side of his head had joined that coming from the side of his mouth. After a few moments, the dizziness abated, leaving his mind free once again. "Man, that's my partner. He would've gotten it anyway."

Mitch came up real close, getting into Danny's "personal space", his gun an ever present reminder of the true nature of the present situation. "I don't care if he would've gotten it. You . . ." The psycho smiled maliciously and took a step back, his arm slowly raising to the point the gun directly at Rachel and Grace.

Rachel began to cry as she curled around Grace even further, curling her form around the terrified child.

Danny panicked. "No, Mitch. Please. Don't. Mitch! Please! I'm sorry! Just don't hurt them! PLEASE!"

Mitch dropped his arm, smiling at Danny. "This is your only warning, Detective. If you pull that stunt again, I will put a bullet in one of them, whoever I hit."

Danny took a deep breath and hung his head. "Alright."Looking back up at him, his gaze questioning, he asked a question that he wasn't quite sure of the answer. "What's your plan here, Mitch?"

Mitch, for the first time, looked unsure. His gaze quickly hardened though, turning back into the dangerous man he was. "That's none of your business, pig."

Danny nodded, trying to diffuse another building situation. "Alright. Fair enough. Just calm down."

**"Mitch! Drop the gun, and come out with your hands up!" **

Mitch looked at the door and then at Danny, his eyes blazing. Whatever situation Danny had tried to diffuse had now escalated past the point of help. "You did this . . ."

"Mitch, hold on. Just listen to me-." He was interrupted by a punch to the gut, followed by another, and another, and another, until Danny lost track. Occasionally, Mitch would send one to his face, but quickly move back to him stomach and abdomen. He finally stopped, allowing Danny to slide to the ground, desperately trying to curl into himself as pain radiated from whatever broken ribs had occurred.

Mitch was breathing hard, as if he had just been on a long run, and stalked away, scratching the back of his neck with the muzzle of his gun.

Danny tried to breathe through the pain, only managing in taking in shallow breathes. When he had managed to get back some reasonable amount of air, he raised his head and semi-straightened his torso, ceasing when it sent a ripple of pain through his body. "Mitch. Listen to me. It will go a lot better for you if you let one of the hostages go."

"Oh, yeah! And why is that?"Mitch yelled, spinning around to roar at the fallen detective.

"A sign of good faith. To show that you're willing to negotiate." Danny said, still gasping in between sentences.

Mitch smiled an evil, sociopathic smile. "What if I don't want to negotiate?"

Danny looked at the man and realized then that he simply didn't care. He didn't care if he died or lived, all he wanted was revenge. That's when Danny realized he was in a truly dangerous situation.

* * *

Steve looked at the screen of the computer, staring at the image of his partner, on the ground, bleeding, and tied to a pole. Fury coursed through his veins and all he could think about was that he had to get him out.

Sound was still coming from the phone and they had managed to get into Stan's private security camera in the house. On the screen, it showed Danny, the gunmen, and Rachel and Grace, huddled together at the side of the screen. That image also sent anger rippling through Steve. The idea that his partner's child was also being held captive in this terrible situation was infuriating to the ex-Navy SEAL.

But that's not where it ended. They had gotten the image up just in time for the idiot in the police uniform to come over the loud speaker. Steve had stopped breathing when he saw Mitch advance on his friend and beat him . . . to the ground. It was all Chin and Kono could do to keep Steve from storming in there, guns blazing, and take his brother right then and there.

But Steve had already promised himself. He was going to get Danny out of there and nothing, or no one, would stop him.

* * *

Danny looked up at his captor and sighed, immediately regretting the action when his ribs shrieked in protest. He looked over at his daughter and decided that now was as good as ever. He had to get her out of here and he saw no other way than this at the moment. "Hey, Mitch. Listen man, you have me. Let my daughter go. She's a kid, ok? Think about it, people don't take too kindly to child killers. They'll respect you for killing me, but they won't respect you for killing her. I mean, it'll be exactly the opposite. They'll hate you. So just let her go, please." Danny knew he was laying it on thick, but he had no other option. And he was amazed with the response.

Mitch looked like he was thinking for a moment and then he nodded. "Get her out of here, but I swear, if you try anything. I'll kill you. But first, I'll kill your lady here."

Danny nodded and slowly, painfully, stood, waiting for Mitch to come over and unlock his hands. After he did, he went over to Rachel and Grace and knelt down in front of the most precious thing in his life.

The thought of losing her was unbearable, and he had no idea what he would do if he lost the only thing that had brought him to this God forsaken island. "Hey, monkey. Are you ok?"

Grace went to her father and nodded, tucking into her father as he pulled her into a hug and slowly stood, hiding the pained his as he cradled her against him. "It's going to be ok, Grace. I promise."

He turned around to find Mitch standing there. "Let's go." He pushed Danny in front of him, walking to the door and gesturing for Danny to open it. "I'm releasing one of the hostages!" He yelled and then whispered in Danny's ear, "My gun is going to be pointed at the nice lady in here still, so don't try anything."

Danny nodded and slowly walked out, glad to see his partner run out of the truck and stop a few feet away from the line of cars. He smiled and tried to hide the wince of pain as he stepped off of the porch. "Hey, Steven" He said, watching his partners eyes assess his condition.

Steve took a deep breath. "Hey, Danno. Are you ok?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine. I managed to get her out."

Steve nodded, smiling even though it didn't really touch his eyes. Of course he would be more worried about getting his daughter out than himself. This was his selfless Danno. The partner that he started out hating and now loved as his own brother, a brother that he never had. "Good job, Danno. Just . . . be careful."

Danny smiled and stopped about two feet in front of his partner. "I need you to do another thing for me, Steve."

"Anything, Danny."

Danny had trouble keeping the tears from his eyes and he saw that Steve was too. "I need you to take care of her, ok?"

"Just for a little bit, partner, and then she'll be yours again." Steve said, telling himself over and over again in his mind, hoping that it would come true if he did.

Danny smiled and pulled Grace a little away from him, so he could talk to her. "Grace, I need you to go with Uncle Steve, ok?"

Grace nodded and Danny passed her to him, looking at the two most important people in his life. He could tell that Steve was really having a problem now as he held the little girl close; trying desperately to be strong like his father had taught him.

Danny nodded and was about to turn and go when he heard Steve call him name. "Danno."

"Yeah?" Danny said, looking at his partner for what he hoped wouldn't be the last time.

"I will get you out, I promise." Steve said, putting everything he had behind it to make sure that Danny got the message.

Danny nodded and began to walk back towards the house, disappearing inside.

Steve watched the house until the door closed and turned around, seeing all the police officers staring at the moment that he and his brother had just shared.

Danny walked back into the house and heard the door close behind him. "Detective Williams." He turned around and saw Mitch and then he looked down the barrel of the gun, pointed directly at him.

Danny knew that Steve would take care of Grace as a gunshot rang out and echoed into the surrounding area, causing Steve to turn back towards the house, his partner's child wrapped in his arms.

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**What did you think?! Tell me with a review :) I love them and they really do help me post faster!**

**Thanks for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow! I'm so surprised that so many people like my story!**

**Well, here is chapter 3! I hope everyone likes it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii** **Five-O or its characters. I'm simply using them for the sake of Danny whump :)**

**ENJOY!**

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Steve couldn't believe this was happening. That couldn't have been the last time he ever saw his best friend. Kono was by his side in an instant and he passed the little girl off to her, knowing that his partner wouldn't be happy if he put her in danger. As soon as he made sure she was safe, he took off towards the house, but didn't even make it past the barrier.

Chin's arm stopped him, holding him back. "Steve. Don't. The guys a loose cannon, he could shoot everyone in there."

Steve didn't look at Chin, just at the house. "Chin, I have to get him out of there." Steve closed his eyes and let his chin rest against his chest, taking deep breaths as he felt Chin let go of him.

Abruptly turning, he walked back to the truck, looking over at Grace who was now seated on the back of the ambulance, Kono kneeling in front of her. He went to the truck and got in, staring at the screen.

Danny was once more cuffed to the pillar, on the floor, unconscious, with a bleeding wound in his shoulder. He heard Chin's phone ring but continued to stare at the screen, not moving his gaze from his fallen partner.

"Alright, thanks," Chin said, hanging up and moving up behind Steve. "I have some news about the shooter, Steve."

Steve turned to him and nodded, walking outside and waiting for Chin. "Who is he?"

"Mitch Patterson, brother of Jason Patterson. Jason Patterson just died in prison after a fight he was in." Chin paused before going on. "You and Danny were the ones who worked the case. He was in jail for stealing from a jewelry store and assaulting the woman working there."

Steve nodded. "He blames Danny for the death of his brother because Danny put his in jail. And now, he's going to make Danny face the same fate as his brother."

* * *

Danny slowly came around, pain radiating from every part of his body. He opened his eyes and saw Mitch pacing the floor as Rachel sat on the couch, arms crossed.

A tremendous pain was radiating from his shoulder and Danny looked down, his breath catching when he saw the bullet wound. _Of course I'd get shot, how could I not get out of this situation without a bullet wound?_ Danny closed his eyes and tried to fight off the growing feeling of shock, knowing that he had to hold it together.

"So, you're back with us, pig."

Danny looked up and saw Mitch smiling down at him. Before Danny could stop himself, he snapped back. "You watched way too much Starsky and Hutch when you were a child. Nobody says pig anymore."

Mitch came forward and grabbed Danny's hair, yanking his head back against the pillar. "I say pig, you pig. Now how does it feel," he said, grabbing Danny's injured shoulder and squeezing, causing Danny to writhe, "to be held in captivity, injured and alone."

Danny blinked tears out of his eyes and fought against the pain, trying desperately to curl into himself. Eventually, the pressure lessened and Mitch wiped his hand on Danny's shirt, standing and leaving his captive breathless.

Danny tried to stay conscious as he watched the man stand and walk away, moving towards Rachel. "Leave . . . Leave her alone."

Mitch looked at him, smiling. _This son of a bitch is always smiling,_ Danny thought, feeling sick to his stomach.

"So, you were his wife?" Mitch asked, his question directed at Rachel.

Rachel didn't answer but continued to look at the ground, rubbing up and down her arms with her hands.

Mitch smiled and stroked her chin, frowning when she yanked her head away, hiding the tears of fear that were streaming down her face. Mitch raised his hand, as if to slap her and watched her flinch.

"Don't you touch her! I swear if you touch her, I will kill you! You hear me! I'll kill you!" Danny screamed, struggling against his cuffs, ignoring the fire blazing in his shoulder.

Mitch stormed over, kicking Danny and watching him squirm. "You are in no position to make demands!"

* * *

Grace was huddled under a blanket, staring at the ground on the back of Steve's truck. They had said that she was ok, just shaken up. Who wouldn't be? She had just been held hostage and seen her father get beaten.

Steve walked over, crouching down in front of a little girl who had grown to mean so much to him. "Hey, Gracie. How you doing?"

Grace sniffled and looked up at her father's partner and friend. "Danno's still in there. Are you going to get him out?"

"Gracie," Steve said, taking a deep breath as his eyes turned sad. "I will do everything in my power to get your father out of there, ok?"

Grace nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, tucking her face into the crook of his neck. Steve responded by wrapping his arms around her, hoping that he could keep this promise.

* * *

Danny leaned against the pillar. The sick feeling he had been experiencing earlier was growing, causing him to lose strength as he tried to fight it off. Breathing had become difficult and he could no longer take a deep breath without pain shooting through his abdomen, making him nearly double over in pain.

_Please, Steve. Help. _

* * *

Steve saw Danny's condition and the growing anger inside of Mitch. Things were escalating and if he didn't act, Danny would end up dead within half an hour, either from Mitch killing him or from blood loss. The trauma to Danny's injury was growing and the bleeding had not decreased.

With his mind made up, Steve picked up his cell phone and pressed end, calling back instantly and waiting for Mitch to pick up.

_"I see that you are smarter than the average bear, Commander. What do you want?"_

Steve looked up as Chin walked in, ignoring the look he gave him and focusing on his current course of action. "I want to make a trade." Chin's face turned confused.

_"A trade? What kind of trade?" _There was a pause on the other end as if he was thinking. _"I won't give up the Detective, if that's what you're thinking about."_

Steve sighed inwardly. The situation was going to be trickier than he thought. Danny wouldn't have liked plan A anyways. That meant trading Danny for himself, but Rachel would've stayed with him. Danny would've like plan B a lot more than plan A. "Of course not. I was simply thinking of trading Rachel for myself."

There was a pause. _"You're offering yourself, the other person responsible for my brother's death. Deal. If you try anything, though, I will shoot your partner in the head. Is that clear?"_

Steve nodded, even though he knew that Mitch couldn't see him. The fear in his gut for his brother had just increased. This man was serious and would kill him. "Understood."

Steve put his phone on the counter and went to exit the truck, walking around Chin, ignoring his stare.

"Steve," Chin said, following behind him, "What are you doing?"

Steve spun around, knowing that Chin was worried for his safety but upset that he would even question his willingness to go in and help him. "He's injured and dying, Chin. If I can't get him out of there, I'm not going to leave him alone. I want to be able to be there for him. Chin, I . . ." Steve saw the acknowledgment in Chins eyes to what he had said and moved past the barrier.

He waited for Rachel to appear on the porch and began to slowly walk forward, passing the frightened woman. "Steve. Danny, he's-."

"I know, Rachel. I'll take care of him." Steve passed her and kept walking stepping up onto the porch and through the open door.

The door slammed behind him, making him turn and face the man he was set on taking down.

Mitch sneered, his gun pointed directly at him. "Take out your cuffs and cuff your hands in front of you, where I can see them."

Steve obeyed, snapping the cuffs around his wrists, never taking his eyes off of the psycho. "What now?"

Mitch shrugged. "Make yourself comfortable. You won't be leaving here for awhile."

Steve went to the kitchen aware that Mitch was following his every move and grabbed a towel, quickly going to Danny's side and pressing it against his shoulder.

Danny looked terrible, his skin pale and his breathing ragged. The bleeding in his shoulder was slowly stopping, but Steve could tell that there was something else wrong. He tied the towel around Danny's shoulder, apologizing when Danny groaned, and lifted up his shirt, wincing at the black and blue splotches all over his abdomen. He gently touched Danny's abdomen, feeling the rigidity that foretold of internal bleeding.

A hiss came from Danny and his eyes began to open. "Please, stop."

Steve cringed inwardly and put Danny's shirt down, looking down at his injured brother. "I'm sorry, Danno."

Danny's eyes slowly focused, scanning the area until he saw Steve. A confused frown appeared on his features as he looked at his partner. "How did you get in here? Did you get him?"

"No, Danno. I traded myself for Rachel."

Danny nodded. "That's good. I knew that you'd do something, Rambo."

Steve gave a slight smile that soon disappeared when he turned to face Mitch. "Listen, I need to get him out of here."

"No, you don't." Mitch said, leaning against the wall, sneering down at the two cops.

"He's going to die, and I really don't think that you want cop killing on your rap sheet." Danny began to squirm and Steve turned his attention to his partner, quickly quieting him down. "Easy, Danno. Easy."

Mitch shrugged. "I don't care. He deserved it. I want him to die," Mitch smiled down at Steve, his eyes glinting like a psychopath. "And I want you to watch."

Steve was horrified. This man was crazy. "What do you mean by that?"

"I had to watch my brother die in captivity and I was helpless to do anything to stop what was happening. I want you to experience this too. It's no secret how close the two of you are. You think of each other as brothers, and that plays exactly into my plan. For you to know what it feels like to watch your brother die." Mitch studied his gun the entire time he spoke.

Steve realized it then. The entire time, he'd been acting, playing them to get them to where they were now. Danny was dying, Steve was with him, and the police wouldn't try anything for awhile still. He had them exactly where he wanted them. This wasn't a roll with the flow mission this guy had. He'd been planning this for a year or more. And he was right.

Danny was dying and there was nothing Steve could do about it.

* * *

**I hope that everyone enjoyed it! I'm trying really hard to make it good for everyone! Thank you so much for reading and please review! They make my day and only encourage me to write more :) **

**Thanks again!**


	4. Chapter 4

**So sorry about the long wati, but here it is! I hope that everyone likes it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-O or its characters.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Danny was dying and there was nothing Steve could do about it . . . Except keep him alive and get him out. Steve put his mind to those two seemingly simple missions, knowing that in reality, it was going to be one of the most difficult missions for him.

"Danny. Danny, wake up. Come on, Danno." Steve watched his partners eyes slowly open and look at him. "There we go. That's good, Danno."

Mitch looked at him from his spot by the window and rolled his eyes. "Why do you even try?"

Steve was about to answer when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He didn't even have to look to know that SWAT was here. _I have to get him away from the window. _"Because I'm not going to sit around and wait for my brother to die."

Mitch turned his full attention to Steve and glared at him, his gaze accusing. "What do you mean by that, McGarrett?"

"I mean that you didn't do anything to save your brother. You sat around and did nothing while he died. That's why you're taking it out on me and my partner, because you feel guilty, but you don't want to admit that it's your fault that he's dead!" Steve had moved himself in front of Danny, in case his plan didn't work out. Danny wouldn't take any more of a beating.

Mitch snarled and stormed forward, his threat lost as a cylinder came crashing through the window and exploded, sending gas all throughout the room.

Steve launched himself forward, tackling the man and allowing the gun to skitter away. He sprung to his feet faster than Danny's captor and kicked him in the face, pleased when he ceased his movement. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the keys that had been there the entire time. _For a man who supposedly planned everything, he certainly was an idiot with the details._

Once his own cuffs were removed, Steve went instantly to Danny and released him. Danny looked up at him as his lungs refused to cooperate and he coughed in the thickening gas.

Steve knew that the paramedics would not be allowed to come in until the area was deemed clear and that would take a few minutes. _Danny won't last a few minutes. _

Steve made up his mind and went to Danny's uninjured side and placed his arms under Danny's knees and behind his back, scooping his partner into his arms. Danny was shivering and his skin cold and clammy, making Steve pull him closer against his chest. The state his brother was in frightened him. He felt so broken and sick, his eyes barely open as his head rested against Steve's shoulder as he focused desperately on just bringing in the next painful breath.

Danny felt the change in position and only then realized that he was in the air. Further examination showed him that it was in fact Steve who was responsible for this change. He was going to come up with some witty remark but just couldn't seem to find the air necessary for speaking. He shivered and felt Steve pull him closer, feeling awkward but grateful at the contact. For some reason, he felt so cold. He knew that it probably wasn't a good thing, but he was too tired.

Steve saw Danny's eyelids flutter and fear struck his heart. "No, Danny. Don't do this. Stay with me, babe. Just stay with me, please." Steve walked into the sunlight and to the ambulance, placing Danny down on the gurney provided by the paramedics.

Danny looked up at him as the paramedics began assessing his condition and then behind Steve at Rachel and Grace. Steve watched him look back up at him as his eyes slowly closed and the paramedics put him into the ambulance. He moved towards the back but the door was closed in his face. The paramedics had no doubt heard of the two of them and wasn't keen on the idea about talking about it.

The next few minutes were excruciating. Steve stood there, looking around and wondering what his next mission was, if he even had a mission. For awhile there, his missions had been plain: 1. Get to Danny, 2. Get Rachel to safety, 3. Get Danny out, 4. . . Four was the problem. He didn't have a four.

Before Steve knew it, 10 minutes had passed and all he'd done was stand there, staring at the spot where the ambulance had sat, the same ambulance that had taken his best friend . . . his brother.

Chin came up behind Steve and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Steve?"

Steve came out of his trance and walked towards his car. "I'll be at the hospital if you need me."

* * *

Steve threw his white, blood smeared shirt in the trash and replaced it with a clean gray one that he had pulled from his truck. Exiting the bathroom, he walked to the receptionist's desk and leaned against it, his tired joints revolting against the abuse that they had taken. A nurse came over when she saw him and he looked expectantly at her. "Danny Williams. He was brought in about half an hour ago."

The nurse nodded and smiled. "One moment, Commander."

Steve ignored his curiosity and waited for the nurse to return with news on Danny.

She returned quickly, her face grave. "Detective Williams is in surgery. The doctors don't have any news as of yet, but the surgery is still young. All I have is that Detective Williams came in with a GSW to the shoulder, a minor concussion, and four broken ribs."

Steve couldn't believe it. That man had practically crushed his Danno. "Thank you. Keep me updated."

Steve went back to his chair and sat down, putting his head in his hands. _Danny. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. _

* * *

Steve shot awake and jumped to his feet, looking at the doctor who had just walked up to him. "Commander McGarrett?"

Steve nodded. "Yes, sir. How's Danny." Again, an icy cold hand gripped his heart in fear. _He's fine. He's just fine. _

"You're partner is in an ICU unit. His condition is critical because of the heavy trauma. He suffered severe blood loss and trauma to his ribs, resulting in some internal bleeding." The doctor looked down at his hands as he rubbed them together. "As of right now, we aren't allowing anyone to see him due to the severity of his condition."

Steve nodded and his phone began to ring. "Thanks, doc. Please inform me when you are allowing people to see him."

"Of course, Commander," the doctor said, walking away and allowing Steve to answer his phone.

"McGarrett."

_"Steve, it's Chin. How's Danny?"_

Steve ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "He's not good Chin. They have him listed as critical. That bastard really did a number on him."

There was silence on the other end for a few minutes and then Chin was back. _"Patterson's awake. We have him here, but no one has talked to him. We figured that you would want to do that."_

Steve started walking towards the doors. "Don't let anyone touch him. I'm on my way."

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**Was it good? Please tell me what you thought with a review! **

**Thanks for reading :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Well, here is chapter 5. Im afraid that there will only be a few more chapters left, but dont worry too much. I'll be sure to keep writing and posting stories. Anyways, I'll stop talking and let you read the story. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hawaii Five-O or any of its characters. **

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Mitch Patterson looked up as the door to the interrogation room opened and watched an angry looking Navy SEAL walk in and close the door.

Steve leaned against the wall and looked at the piece of scum that had hurt his partner. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

Mitch smiled and Steve felt the overpowering urge to wipe that grin from his face . . . permanently. "Because you're a cop and you can't that type of thing."

Steve didn't answer and kicked the chair, allowing Mitch to fall backwards, dazed. Steve calmly walked over and leaned over the man, his face cold and hard, but his eyes blazing with emotion. "Do I look like I care?"

Mitch looked actually fearful for once. Through all his planning of this day, he hadn't counted in the idea of this angry SEAL, and he simply didn't know what to do anymore. "Umm . . ."

"What's the matter?" Steve asked, his voice ringing with hatred. "Speechless. At least you know what's going on and what's about to happen. My partner is unconscious in critical condition because of you. Nobody knows what's going to happen to him because of you."

"Steve . . ."

Steve turned towards the door and saw Chin leaning in. "What?" A part of him didn't want to know in case it was bad news about Danny.

Chin looked at the man on the ground and then at Steve. "Hospital wants to talk to you."

Steve nodded and looked back at Mitch. "Just know that if he dies, you die. And if you think you can hide, know that you can't, because I can find you anywhere."

Mitch swallowed nervously and watched as Steve walked out of the room, taking his phone out of the islander's hand. He had never gotten it back after he went in until now. Chin walked in, pulling Mitch's chair upright again, not looking the man in the eye. "He wouldn't really kill me."

Chin began to walk out but stopped, turning to face the hated man. "Wanna bet?"

* * *

Steve pressed his cell phone against his ear, taking a deep breath before he said, "McGarrett."

"_Commander McGarrett, this is Doctor Hanson. You told me to keep you updated on your partners condition. Detective Williams has been moved out of the ICU and we are allowing people to visit."_

Steve took a deep breath, nodding his head. "Thanks, doc. I'll be there soon."

* * *

Steve walked into the hospital and straight to the nurse's station. "Detective Danny Williams."

The nurse checked her papers and looked back up at the anxious man. "Doctor Hanson said to be expecting you, Commander McGarrett. Detective Williams is in room 244. Doctor Hanson has been paged and will be there shortly."

Steve smiled at the efficient nurse. "Thank you." He hurried towards the elevators and allowed the doors to close slowly before he pressed the button and leaned against the wall of the elevator, preparing himself for whatever was to come. He'd seen men recovering from injuries, but this was different. This was Danno.

Steve jumped when the elevator dinged and walked out, going to room 244, but stopping in front of it. A nurse stopped as she walked by and walked up next to him. "Sir, is there something I can do for you?"

Steve shook his head. "No. Thank you. Just . . ." He couldn't finish his sentence because he didn't exactly know just what he was doing.

The nurse nodded and smiled. "I understand. We get a lot of cops and their partners in here and most of them have this problem. Take your time and if you need anything, just . . ."

Steve smiled. "I understand. Thank you."

The nurse nodded and walked away, leaving Steve standing at the door.

Steve took a deep breath and grabbed the door handle, slowly turning it and pushing open the door. What he saw took Steve's breath away and no amount of preparation could have gotten him ready for what lay in that room.

Danny looked so small and fragile in the hospital bed, a nasal cannula under his nose with several IVs in his arm and hand. A heart rate monitor said next to his bed, a green blip flashing up the screen. His breathing was steady and even, but he sleep didn't look exactly peaceful.

Doctor Hanson walked into the room behind Steve, his hands shoved deep into his lab coat pockets. "Detective Williams is suffering from an infection due to the gunshot wound. We have him on some antibiotics, but we aren't real sure how he will react. Heavy observation is being done."

Steve nodded. "I should've gotten him out sooner."

Doctor Hanson looked down at the ground, considering how to respond to such a distraught man. "All that counts is that you did." With those final words, Doctor Hanson left the room, allowing Steve some time alone.

Steve walked forward to the side of the bed, grabbing his partners hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. The hand was hot from fever, but Steve didn't let go. "Whenever you want to wake up, babe, I'm right here." Steve sat down in the chair by the bed and was quickly asleep.

* * *

**Beep! Beep! Beep!**

Steve jolted awake and shot out of his chair, glancing up at the heart monitor that screamed. "No. Danno. Danno!"

Doctor Hanson shoved him out of the way, rushing to Danny's side. "Code blue! Get a crash cart in here!"

Steve was pushed out even further than before, by the great influx of activity, and he turned away from the room. Steve wandered down the hallway and only stopped when he couldn't hear them anymore. The screaming still resounded in his ears, the sound that told him his brother was in trouble and he couldn't do anything. _I can't do it. _Steve slid down the wall, pulling his knees up against his chest and resting his forehead on them, arms circled around his legs, pulling them closer. _I can't stand there and be useless. Danny's my brother and he's . . . he's . . . GOD, STEVEN! FACE IT! HE'S . . . dying. _Steve took a shuddering breath, a tear leaking out of his eye. _I've had people who weren't family be practically like family before, but for some reason, this is different. This is Danno and . . . I don't really know what I would do if I never heard one of his stupid rants again. It would border on unbearable to have to walk around every day and know that I was never going to see him again. I remember the first time I met him, I was pointing a gun at him. _Steve smiled at the memory, more tears leaking out of his eyes, following the first, as he hid his face in his arms. _And then we started talking. I can't even remember what we were talking about, but we talked and, before I knew it, we're best friends, but now we're more than that and if I lose that . . ._

_You're going to have to try a lot harder to get rid of me, Steven. _Steve almost started laughing. Danny was even in his head now, his voice permeating his thoughts. _And you're not going to lose me. Because I'm fighting and if you think that I'm going to give up and tuck my tail between my legs just like that, you're very wrong. It's just going to take some time. Now, come on babe. Stop blaming yourself, because I know you and you are blaming yourself. You've done everything you can. _Danny was right.

Steve looked up from his place on the floor and wiped his eyes with his shirt, feeling like he was a child again. Standing up, he took a deep breath, intent on finding out the fate of his friend, good or bad. But his inner-Danny was right. It was going to take a lot more to get rid of Danno.

Steve slowly walked back to Danny's room. The hustle and bustle of the nurses and doctors was gone, so it meant one of two things. 1. Danny was ok, or 2. Danny was dead. Steve really prayed for option number 1.

"Commander McGarrett." Doctor Hanson walked up to Steve and stood before him. "Your partners alive. He had an adverse reaction to the antibiotics we had him on, but now that we've changed them, he should be fine. He woke up momentarily while you were gone, but it was only for a few seconds." Doctor Hanson sighed. "I really shouldn't be letting anyone see him until we're sure that he will respond positively to the antibiotics, but seeing as how you're his medical contact, I've decided that it probably won't hurt for you to be there if he wakes up again."

Steve was a little surprised by that news. He always just figured that Rachel would be Danny's medical contact. . _Then again, he is mine. _Steve nodded and took a deep breath, shaking the doctor's hand. "Thanks, doc."

Steve went immediately into Danny's room this time and straight to the side of his bed. "What are you doing, Danno? You scared me half to death." Steve took Danny's hand again, giving it another gentle squeeze. "I'm right here, Danno. And this time, neither of us are leaving. I promise, you're going to be ok, and you're going to see Grace again."

As hard as he tried, the events of the day wore on Steve and he couldn't keep the drowsiness at bay, once again falling asleep at Danny's bedside, arms resting on the side and forehead tucked into them, his brother's hand clutched in his like a lifeline.

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**Well, what did you think? Please tell me with a review. They make me so happy when I get them and they make my day. **

**Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW! :) **


	6. Chapter 6

**I am so sorry about the wait! I went on vacation with my family and was planning to update sooner, but vacation was a way busy and I had no time! Thanks for sticking with me, though. **

**Again, sorry, but this chapter is kinda short, but fluffy, so if you like fluff, this is a good chapter for you. I was mainly focused on getting another chapter out for everyone. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-O or its characters. I just like to borrow them for the sake of beating them up.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

_"I'm so sorry, Commander. We were too late and there was just too much damage." The doctor walked away, leaving Steve alone in Danny's room, looking down at his pale . . . dead friend. _

_"God, Danny. I'm so sorry." Steve said, tears pouring down his cheeks. Navy SEAL be damned, he just lost his best friend. He knelt by Danny's bed, his hand still clutching the cold one and gave a gentle sorrowful squeeze . . . Not expecting the squeeze to be returned._

* * *

Steve shot awake, his head bolting off the edge of Danny's bed where he had fallen asleep and looking at the hand in his, before following it up to Danny's face. Tired blue eyes looked back at him, worry for him evident in the depths. "Danny? Can you hear me?"

Danny nodded, slowly blinking before painfully swallowing. "You looked to be having a nightmare."

Steve nodded and smiled, the smile not reaching his eyes. "Yeah. I did. How are you feeling?"

Danny shook his head, his voice still weak as he spoke. "Oh no, Steven. We were talking about you." Danny shifted, wincing, pain lighting up his features for a brief second.

That second was all Steve needed to shoot out of his chair, resting his free hand on Danny's shoulder and pressing the nurse call button. "We should be talking about you, Daniel. Seriously, how are you feeling?"

Danny's brows were no longer knitted together with pain from the flash, and his eyes were no longer dull, but their normal bright blue. "I've been better, but I've also been worse. How are Rachel and Grace?"

Steve smiled at Danny's seemingly natural ability to skirt the issue at hand and push the attention away from himself. "They're fine, Danny. They're coming to see you tomorrow."

Danny nodded and Steve could physically see the weight that the news took off of his shoulders. "Thanks, Steve."

"Anytime, Danny." Steve said, smiling.

Doctor Hanson walked in at that moment and Steve snuck to the corner, watching as Doctor Hanson proceeded to ask Danny questions about how he was feeling and if he remembered what day it was and what had happened. Steve smiled as his friend passed with flying colors, but his concern still existed as he watched his friend's strength dwindle.

Doctor Hanson motioned for Steve to join him in the hallway as Danny settled back into the pillows, his eyes drooping. Steve walked out and stood before the tired looking Doctor. "Is he ok?"

Doctor Hanson smiled. "Yes. He should be ok, now. The infection's gone and he should recover pretty quickly now. Depending on how he does, I could see him out of here in at most a week."

Steve let out a breath and felt like he was 100 pounds lighter. For 3 days now, Steve had just been wondering if he was going to see Danny alive next week and to know that he may not only see Danny but that he was going to see him out of the hospital in that time was such a relief. He ran a hand through his hair, and took a deep breath, a genuine smile splaying across his face. "Thanks, doc. You don't know how good that news is to hear."

Doctor Hanson nodded and excused himself, leaving Steve to go back into Danny's room.

Danny looked up at the sound of the door opening, his eyes tired but still bright, and smiled, glad to see that his friend was back and that he was smiling as he re-entered the room. "Hey, Steve. Have a nice talk with the good doctor?"

Steve smiled and took up his station by Danny's side again. "Yeah. It was a good talk. Doc said that depending on how well you do in the next few days, you may be out of here in under a week."

Danny sighed, rolling his eyes, even though Steve could tell that he too was relieved. "That long, Steven? What, couldn't slip him a couple bucks? Is the art of bribery dead now?"

"Bribery, huh, Danno? You seriously wanted me to bribe the doc into letting you go early?" Steve asked, enjoying the normal playful banter and realizing how much he would've missed it.

Danny nodded, pushing away the fatigue as he too enjoyed the conversation. "Yes. Bribery. It is a common thing to do when you want something."

Steve nodded. "Ok, Danno. I'll be sure to remember that next time I want something from you. Bribery."

"Oh, no. I never said that it worked with me. I simply stated that it sometimes works with certain people, that's all." Danny took a deep breath, hiding the yawn, and tried to continue his battle, but he was quickly losing and Steve noticed.

"Don't fight it, Danno. Go to sleep. I'll be sure to wake you when Grace comes." Steve said, settling into the chair, that wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as some that he'd sat in, as his own fatigue began to catch up with him.

Danny nodded, his eyes no longer open as his words slurred together with gaps in between. "You better . . . And what's with . . . your sudden extreme usage . . . of Danno?" Danny fell asleep as Steve began to answer.

"Because I didn't know how many more times I would get to use it." Steve said, leaning back in the chair, his eyes closed, as he fell asleep, his mind free of nightmares.

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**Did you like it? Please tell me with a review because I love them. They were what made me feel bad and forced me to add another chapter sooner. I will try to get another chapter up within the next few days and, hopefully, it will be longer than this one. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	7. Chapter 7

**I'M SO SORRY! I meant to update sooner, but school started, and I sports started, and work got a little hectic. It just went off the rails, but I really hope that this story hasn't. :) Thanks to everyone for sticking with me and being patient, you have no idea how much I appreciate it. **

**Anyways, here is the next chapter, unfortunately, there will most likely only be one chapter after this one, but I will definitely keep putting stories up every chance I get. :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hawaii Five-O or any of it's character (dang).**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

When Danny next woke up, Steve wasn't by his bed. Curiosity struck him and he looked around for the wandering SEAL, his detective nature soon coming to a rest though when he spotted his friend at the window, sipping a cup of coffee. He smelled the bitter fragrance and wished that whoever had brought it for Steve had brought him one too. But, sadly, he knew that the answer would be no.

"Morning, Steve." Danny said, smiling when his partner jerked around, a broad grin spreading across his face at the sight of Danny.

Steve immediately noticed the difference in Danny. His skin was no longer a chalky white, but was returning to its healthy tan and his blue eyes sparkled with energy that had been gone for awhile. "Danny! Hey, babe. How're you felling?"

Danny put his uninjured arm behind him and tried to leverage himself up, glad when Steve put his coffee down and rushed over, assisting with the task. Comfortably situated against the pillows, his smile rivaled Steve's. "I feel good, actually. I want to get out of here, though."

Steve smiled, sitting back in his chair, coffee in hand, warming his fingers. "I know, buddy. But hey. If it makes it any easier to stay, just know that Rachel and Grace are on their way."

If Danny's smile got any wider after that news, he was sure that his face was remain like that forever. "Really? When? How close are they?"

Steve smiled wider too, glad to see Danny so happy again. "They called about 15 minutes ago and said that they were leaving the house, which means that they should be here soon."

Danny let his head fall back against the wall behind him, his smile still there even as Steve saw his eyes grow moist at a memory. Looking at his brother, Danny poured all his sincerity into his voice and eyes, making sure that Steve got the idea. "Thank you, Steve. When I gave her to you, I didn't know if I was ever going to see her again, and . . . Thank you."

Steve place his hand on Danny's arm, feeling the same type of raw emotion as Danny. "You don't have to thank me, if I had to do it again, I would and I wouldn't expect anything in return." Steve took at deep breath and looked at the ground, his mind replaying those awful moments in his head.

A hand came out of nowhere, engulfing Steve's own and causing him to look up. Danny's eyes had once more turned playful, trying to alleviate some of the overwhelming emotions coming to the forefront. "You know. This is as bad as the notebook."

Steve smiled and turned in his chair, both of the officers attention being drawn to the door as it slowly opened. A small head peeked through, soon followed by an entire girl. Steve back away as Grace came rushing into the room, all energy as she practically flew into the room. "Danno!" She said, running to the bed and climbing up, snuggling into Danny's chest as he surrounded her with his functioning arm.

Steve slowly backed out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. He turned around and saw Rachel, sitting in one of the chairs outside Danny's door. Her face was emotionless but there was something in her eyes that made Steve uneasy . . . no. Angry. It made him angry.

"How come you aren't in there with Danny?" Steve asked, not meaning for his voice to sound so rough and accusing, but there was that thing in her eyes.

"Hello, Steven." Hard. Her voice was hard, possibly harder than Steve's, and, like her eyes, it held something else. "Grace wanted to see Daniel."

_Daniel? When he was injured, she usually calls him Danny. Why was she being this way? _Steve's mind tumbled over her attitude. And that's when it struck him. The look in her eyes, her voice. Malice. Hatred. And possibly a little bit of fear. And it all clicked together. "Do you blame Danny for what happened?"

Rachel straightened up, standing to semi-meet Steve's stature. "Yes. I blame his job for what happened. Because of his job, Grace and I were taken captive by a madman with a gun! Grace could've been injured, or worse! So what else am I supposed to do? He did the same thing back in Jersey, but I never thought that it would get this bad." Rachel's head hung for a moment as her shoulders slumped. "I was so frightened, for Grace, for Danny, and for myself." But then her voice turned hard again as her back went straight and her head snapped up. "And all because of his lousy job!"

A noise beside them made them both turn and look, surprised when what they saw was Danny, dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt, something much more comfortable than a hospital gown, with a sling securing his injured shoulder. He was leaning against the wall, Grace at his side, her eyes wide and confused as to why mommy was yelling at Uncle Steve.

"Rachel," Danny said, his voice soft and comforting, a voice that hinted to their married days. "I'm so sorry. I never knew that this was going to happen, and I'm sorry that you and Grace got pulled into it."

Rachel took a deep breath, looking at her injured ex-husband and feeling all of her anger and hatred melt away. Looking down at her daughter, she extended her hand as tears threatened her eyes. "Come on, Grace. Let's go home and let Danno get some rest."

Danny knelt down, ignoring the slight pain, and pulled Grace into a hug, wishing that he had two arms to hug her with. "Danno loves you."

Grace hugged back, her tiny arms managing to wrap around his back. "I love you too, Danno."

Steve helped Danny stand back up, gently wrapping an arm around his back and using his other hand to hold Danny's arm. Together, they watched Rachel and Grace walk out of the hospital, before Steve carefully guided Danny back into his room. A nurse came and reinserted his IV, but quickly left, feeling the tension in the room that needed to be unwound.

They sat for several minutes in silence, both contemplating what had just happened. It was Steve who eventually broke the silence. "Danny-."

"Steve, I had to do it. She had to know that I was sorry and she wasn't going to truly get it if I told her later. She had to hear it now." Danny said, his voice quiet as he sat cross legged on top of the sheets. He was feeling tired and drained, but he felt no urge to fall asleep.

Steve looked at his kaikua'ana. Danny was hunched over, his free hand absentmindedly rubbing his arm in the sling, as he sat cross legged on top of his hospital bed. His head was drooping, looking down as if he was staring right through the bed and the ground into the core of the planet, and, honestly speaking, he looked pitiful.

Slowly standing, Steve walked to Danny's bed and sat on the edge, folding his hands in his lap before slowly looking over at Danny, who was less than a foot away. He heard Danny take a deep breath, building up the courage to say something. "God, Steve. What if she's right?"

Steve's eyes went hard as he leaned down, looking into Danny's eyes and making sure that he saw the resolve in Steve's. "She's not, Danno. Remember all the shit that Stan has pulled that almost got Gracie and Rachel hurt? She's just scared, Danny. And she's trying to blame someone, and you're the only person she's got. But, never, for one instant, believe that it's your fault, Danno."

Danny finally looked up, his expression a little lighter than it had been before. "Thanks, Steve. She just get's to me."

Steve smiled, placing a hand on Danny's uninjured shoulder. "Yeah, I know, Danno. I know."

Steve knew that they weren't done, but this would hold for now. Danny just needed to get better and then the situation would improve on its own, but, at this point, things were still too fresh, too raw and it was hurting them all, especially Danny. But Steve would be there for him the entire way, an unyielding rock for Danny to lean on. And, for now, that's all he needed.

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**How was it? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I LOVE REVIEWS! **

**Again, thank you sssssssooooooooo much for reading! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! I wanted to get this new chapter out pretty quickly so I didn't have to leave you guys hanging again during another CRAZY week. :) Sorry, but this chapter is kinda short. While writing it, I came upon how I wanted to end it and ran with it. BUT HAVE NO WORRIES! I already have an idea about what I'm going to write next. Anyways, I will shut up and let you guys read!**

**Disclaimer: I (again) do not own Hawaii Five-O or its characters. If I did, there would be A LOT more Danny whump, just saying. :)**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Steve looked out onto his lanai, seeing Danno comfortably situated in one of his chairs. So comfortably, in fact, that he was lightly dozing to the sounds of the ocean, something he had gotten semi-used to during his time in Hawaii. _He'd gladly trade it for a car horn, _Steve thought with amusement.

Danny had been released into Steve's custody two days after . . . the incident with Rachel. The infection had been successfully eradicated, much to Steve and Danny's delight, and Danny was pleasantly on the road to recovery.

The night had been slow and peaceful, including a "calm", as Steve had put it, game of _Battleship_, because it turns out that it is the only board game that Steve owns and Danny was too weak still to do anything physical. The game had been filled with much peeking, claiming it was reconnaissance, and imaginary submarines that could never be sunk. Unsurprisingly, it was Steve who won because he had called in reinforcements, A.K.A he claimed that the ships that reappeared were actually new ones and not the ones that Danny had previously sunk.

Dinner had been light and they hadn't talked much, and, if they did, the topic always seemed to wander back to what was being done with Mitch. He was going to jail, for a very long time, and, if he ever got out, it was going to be very hard to leave the halls of the psychiatric ward.

Now, gathering the two small pills in his hand and picking up the glass of water, he walked out onto the lanai and placed the water on the table, taking a seat on the edge of his own chair next to Danny's. He gently touched Danny's uninjured shoulder, trying not to startle the napping detective.

Danny slowly woke, looking over at his partner and his hand before swinging his legs over the edge and stiffly sitting up, Steve's hand never leaving his arm. "Thanks," Danny said, taking the pills and swallowing them, replacing the glass to its position on the table.

Steve looked at his tired friend as he pulled his hand back, noticing the minuet droop in his shoulders and the glint of pain in his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

Danny sighed and smiled, looking up as his partner. "How do I feel?" Danny winced and rubbed his shoulder, resting his chin against his chest, causing Steve's hand to once more appear on his arm. "Not great. I at least don't feel sick anymore, but . . ." He shook his head and heavily blinked his eyes, trying to purge the sleepiness from his eyes.

Steve smiled, knowing, from personal experience, that what Danny was feeling wasn't wrong or strange, but completely normal. "I know, Danno. You just gotta give it time."

Danny smiled and looked back up at his partner. "You do know that I have been shot before, right?"

Steve mouth continued to smile, even though his eyes turned haunted. "Yes, Danno. I know." _And __how well I know__. _

As hard as Steve tried to hide it, Danny noticed. "You ok, Steve?"

Steve's eyes came back to his smile as he looked up at his partner. His annoying, ridiculous, flamboyant partner . . . The partner that he loved like a brother and would do anything for. Shaking his head, with his arm still on Danny's, he said, "Yeah Danno. I'm ok."

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**THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING! I will be posting my new story (hopefully) soon and I would love to see some of you guys return. **

**See ya 'round! **


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